The World Bank yesterday said it has provided US$412,000 to Suriname to purchase essential medical supplies for the country’s emergency response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
“The World Bank is pleased that timely commitment of financing enabled rapid procurement and distribution of essential medical supplies and equipment to support the immediate needs of the Suriname health system,” said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean in a press release.
Suriname is the latest member of CARICOM to be assisted by the World Bank while an application by Guyana for US$5M languishes. It is believed that Guyana’s application weeks ago has been sidestepped as there has been no declared winner of the general elections held more than nine weeks ago.. Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines are among those that have already benefited.
The press release said that as part of its rapid response at the onset of the pandemic, Suriname benefited from this World Bank financing to procure and distribute personal protective equipment and medical supplies to hospitals handling COVID-19 cases.
These funds were sourced from the Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project using the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). CERCs allow funds to be reallocated from the project to be used for emergency response activities. Further emergency activities that may need support from the World Bank are being discussed with Suriname, the press release said.
